CASA GRANDE, AZ — A 2-year-old boy has died after he was swept away in a bounce house south of the Phoenix area last weekend.
The incident happened Saturday evening in Casa Grande.
Officials with the Pinal County Sheriff's Office say several children were playing in the bounce house when a strong gust of wind carried the inflatable away and into a nearby lot.
A 2-year-old boy was taken to a hospital where he died, officials say.
A second child was also taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
PCSO says the incident appears to be a "tragic accident."
The United Phoenix Firefighters, the union for Phoenix firefighters, confirmed that the two-year-old boy who died was the son of a Phoenix firefighter. Family friends have set up a GoFundMe to help the family during the difficult time.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has a list of tips to help keep kids safe while using bounce houses:
- If it’s windy outside, don’t use a bounce house. Maximum wind speed should be no more than 15 to 25 mph if you are using a bounce house.
- Follow manufacturer’s instructions for set up.
- Make sure the bounce house is properly staked and anchored on a flat, even surface.
- Never place bounce houses near tree branches, power lines or fences.
- Only children about the same age and size should be jumping at one time; and always observe the maximum occupancy limit.
- Set rules for safe play. Teach children to not tumble, wrestle or do flips.
- Keep children away from any gas generators or air pumps, especially if standing water is nearby.
- Remember, children should always be supervised by an adult. Equally important, there should be proper oversight of each inflatable by parents or caregivers while in use or by staff from the company hired to operate it.
"When it comes to bounce houses, children have received cuts, bruises, sprains, broken bones, head injuries and more, while jumping," officials said in a 2019 news release. "In 2018, the CPSC estimates there were more than 18,000 injuries associated with bounce houses that were treated in hospital emergency departments."
CPSC officials say there were 12 deaths reported to CPSC in the years 2003-2013.
An American Meteorological Society report from 2022 says that from 2000-2021,132 wind-related bounce house incidents caused nearly 500 injuries and at least 28 deaths.
